1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a toner container, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Here, the toner container is a container for containing therein a toner used to develop a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
Also, the term "electrophotographic image forming apparatus" covers, for example, an electrophotographic copying apparatus, an electrophotographic printer (such as an LED printer or a laser printer), an electrophotographic facsimile apparatus and an electrophotographic word processor.
Also, the process cartridge refers to charging means, developing means or cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable with respect to the body of the image forming apparatus, and at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable with respect to the body of the image forming apparatus, and further refers to at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge which are removably mountable with respect to the body of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in an image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has been adopted a process cartridge system whereby an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for acting thereon are integrally made into a cartridge which is removably mountable with respect to the body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, operability could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
On the other hand, in this process cartridge system, there is known the technique whereby in the unused state of a supply port for supplying a toner in a developer storing container (hereinafter referred to as the "toner container") to a developing device side, a seal member is sealed by heat welding or the like and in case of its use, the turned-back portion of the seal portion is pulled in the turn-back direction to thereby unseal the seal portion.
Also, the operating force when the process cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus, or an automatic opening mechanism in which when the process cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus, the turned-back portion of the above-described seal member is wound on a take-up shaft or the like through a power transmitting device such as a motor-driven gear to thereby automatically open the toner seal, is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 1-193872, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Application No. 62-110954, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 62-127876, etc.
Any of the above-described prior art examples are very effective in the process cartridge for enabling the supply of the toner.
The present invention is a further improvement over the above-described prior art examples.